I was pleasantly surprised to see and play A Yamaha S900 and a Korg PA800 today. Where? At Sam Ash in Margate, Florida.

And yes you are right – The salespeople have not the slightest idea what these keyboards are capable of doing. Aaaaaaaaah!

A brief assessment based on playing in a live band most of my life.

1-I own a PSR3000 – I know and can hear the difference in the S900, it’s a good keyboard. I love getting a new keyboard it comes with a lot of excitement and exploring, but I could find enough in the S900 to warrant trading up.

2-The PA800 was about $1,100 more than the S900 so the comparison was not very fair. What I heard I liked very much, from what I heard I felt there was at least a $1,100 difference. Key feel is solid, rounder sounding instruments and great drums. Then I search for the memory registrations. On Yamaha and Technics keyboards the registrations are right up front, I could not find any on PA800.

I asked the salesmen – aaaaaaah. He bent at the waist staring at the keyboard with a blank look on his face – he had no clue.

Does Korg save set-ups in a different manner? How does Korg save a selected instrument, tempo, volume and a style for future use? What does performance do?

Confused John C.

Trust me, put that same salesman in front of a Triton Extreme, or even more so, an M3, and you will get that same blank stare they use for arrangers...

It seems like most music stores get their staff from the bunch that COULDN'T get a decent job at McDonald's...

At a so called Music store nowadays its....


EVERY MAN FOR HIMSELF !!!!

educate yourself in any way shape or form you can.....its a jungle out there & YOU have to find your way though to survive!!!

Salesman? Bahahahaahaha the only thing they can do is take the money, stay on the cell phone with their girlfriend's, & look stupid when asked a simple question to them a Casio & a Triton are the same thing they both have black & white keys right?....its a sad state of affairs.....as good as the Internet is ....its just a s bad and has ruined many business's as we USED to KNOW them plain & simple....the little guy is doomed.....NO BODY CARES!!!!

Though I agree with what others are experiencing . . . let's not blame it all on the salespeople. The bucks stops at the top. Along with the corporate buy out of America & consumer's demand for cheap prices, comes a one focus of maximizing corporate profits, means cutting back (or eliminating) training altogether, putting sales people on the floor who have little or no training about the product, or even how to relate to customers. Unfortunately many young people (16-30) today are not taught even the most basic pro salesman protocal or provided sales training and merely thrown on the floor from the first day on the job, and with little or no training down the road either. On top of that, may never have been taught (by parents) the basics of common courtesy, relating to people professionally, or even a willingness to learn while growing up either. Also realize that most of these kids are making bare minimum salary and receiving little or no commissions.

If we don't watch out, the internet could eventually close down all brick & mortar stores, because store fronts mean much higher overhead. Most companies that offer goods both in stores and the internet are fully aware that more people now go to the stores to simply 'look' & touch their products, but they ultimately turn to the internet to actually buy it cheaper (lower prices, and often, no sales tax charged). As long as this trend continues, not only will you receive less and less sales help/knowledge, but their brick and mortar counter part stores will close down as well, as recently evidenced by my local Barnes & Noble Bookstore recently closed.

Scott

I love peanut butter malteds....yes my friends we have an old time family owned 50 yr old ice cream store in my area that has been a staple of the community & has provided so many happy memories for so many kids thru the years not to mention they still make The BEST REAL MALTEDS the OLD FASHIONED WAY with real malt powder YUMMMMMOOOOO!!!!!
Not these stupid shakes they serve at these heart attack burger sideshow barf parlors....anyway due to so called "progress" they are being takin over by another stinking chain restaurant
"OLIVE GARDEN" & it's closing down...
what a sin!!! so dont be surprised when you need some gear and drive to the music store & there is a big sign saying closed.....coming soon STARBUCKS!!!!


Ahhhhhhhhhhh whats the use?

Training...?? ROFLMAO

I worked in music stores for years, and never received a lick of training from ANY keyboard company. In fact, their reps would call ME up with questions about their own products!

It is up to the store employee to train himself. Greater knowledge means more sales. More sales means you can demand greater scale or commission, or you just take those skills to the competition. Not many stores pass up on a technically savvy, sales savvy employee, no matter HOW hard the squeeze is on....

I outsold all the mail order places in my area because I offered technical support, tutorials and tips and tricks ONLY to customers of our store. My demos were concise, and I didn't turn them into tutorials. I just pointed out that that knowledge would be available to them AFTER they bought from us... Most of the time, that was sufficient.

Good help can STILL make money, the right way.

But you need more than a Burger King reject for that...

I know I said a lot about sales people but it was not my main reason for posting.
I am seriously thinking about a Pa800 so if there is anyone out there who can help I would appreciate it. Thanks.

Does Korg save set-ups in a different manner?
How does Korg save a selected instrument, tempo, volume and a style for future use?
What does performance do?

Confused John C.

wow, John, last winter you showed me your kn7000 with such pride and told me you were crazy to have let one go and were so happy to have it back because there was nothing like it. why are you shopping now for something else? i guess i'll stop feeling guilty now for taking your time to help me with my kn2600 and then selling it on ebay and getting a Roland E60 LOL maybe when I'm back in miami after November 1 I can retrun the favor by helping you with the pa800 if you get one. I've still got my is35, which is not in the same league but there are similarities in all korgs. best regards,

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Miami Mo

Bruno123,

I've been selling the PA800 for awhile, my Korg Rep told me in the past 3 months I outsold the 3 major big chains in NE, but that doesn't say much.

As for registrations there are 2 types of memory on the PA800.

First is the performance memory which allows you to saye a set-up similar to a reg but sound based.

then there is songbook which allows anything to be saved, named, order anyway you want for instant call back, with an unlimited amount of visual assistance, meaning you can see as much as a screen can show then scroll like a computer or do a search.

call me and i'll explain further 888-374-6076
Frank